In Photos: My EV-tastic Day trip to the 2019 Geneva motor show
A bit of break from house automation for you this week, as a couple of mates as well as I visited the Geneva motor show over the weekend. as well as with a silly-o-clock begin it is doable as a day-trip from Belfast.
We drove to the flight terminal in the Leaf, however that most likely didn’t rather off-set our filthy air journey. The flight out took just 1 hour as well as 40 minutes as well as we touched down in Switzerland at 8am (9am regional time) after we were treated to a stunning approach along Lake Geneva with the Alps as a snowy backdrop.
The Palexpo exhibition centre is just a 10 minute walk from the arrivals hall at the flight terminal as well as is made up of a series of big halls that hold the event.
We did this exact same trip three years ago, however this time around it was incredible exactly how many more EVs there were, as well as not just the ones from the unheard of startups either, the mainstream motoring manufacturers have now all turned up with electric vehicles too.
Polestar 2
This years show had been billed as a bit of an EV-fest by much of the motoring press, as well as they weren’t wrong. one of the highlights for me was the awesome new Polestar 2, a full battery electric vehicle (BEV) from the Volvo had brand. It’s offered to pre-order now at €59K as well as there’s a €39K version guaranteed a year into production which will make it perhaps the closest rival to the Tesla design 3.
Tesla design 3
Although Tesla didn’t have a stand at the show, there was a design 3 on screen at one of the charging equipments stands. This was the very first time I’d seen the vehicle in the flesh as well as I can verify the oft quoted experience that it does indeed look even much better in genuine life. Roll on right hand drive production.
Honda e
Honda have guaranteed you’ll be able to order their uber awesome 5-door ‘e’ later in 2019, although you’ll most likely have to wait up until 2020 to really take delivery. They’ve aimed it extremely much at the metropolitan market with a 120 mile variety as well as a cost that the pundits anticipate will be between £25K to £30K.
Peugeot e-208
Another head turner was the new Peugeot e-208. It’s one more mouth watering prospect that will bring a 200 mile variety in a handsome super-mini package.
In truth the Peugeot stand in general was extremely cool, particularly this stunning e-legend idea car. in spite of those remarkable lines it doesn’t look like it will see production though.
Kia e-Niro
While Hyundai were not at the show Kia were as well as we had the chance to get our fist look around the e-Niro. This is the EV that shares a platform with the prominent Kona as well as while it’s not as quite as it’s bit sister, some people may discover this larger vehicle more practical. Hopefully Hyundai can ramp up production of this near-300 mile variety 64kWh vehicle so the waiting listing can come down.
The new Kia spirit was on the stand as well as well as we like it. perhaps this new version will be the one that can make the electric version as prominent in the UK as the petrol version is in the USA.
Seat el-Born
Another of my favourite vehicles in the ‘actually being made, might even be affordable’ classification is the Seat el-Born. This is being developed on the exact same MEB platform as the VW I.D. which was strangely absent from the show in spite of apparently being offered to pre-oder from this May. The Seat is arranged for arrival in the very first half of 2020 with 62kWh battery as well as around 261miles of range.
The Seat Minimo is like a Renault Twizy with appropriate windows. awesome concept as well as all, however it’s most likely more of an alternate for moped owners living in the South of France, than leaf drivers from Belfast. Still, it was a head turner.
Audi e-tron GT & Q4 e-tron
Sticking with the VW Group, the Audi stand was headed down the EV path too. The e-tron GT is Audi’s version of the Porsche Taycan (another EV that was conspicuously absent from the show).
The Q4 e-tron idea is a smaller version of Audi’s very first EV that’s named just ‘e-tron’ (confused yet?). This mid-sized crossover is verified for a late 2020 arrival.
Mercedes EQC
Mercedes-Benz are entering the battery electric vehicle world with the EQC. A high quality vehicle as you’d expect from the three-pointed star (running the MBUX system), however some exactly how a bit ordinary. Due at the end of this year.
Mercedes is the parent business of wise as well as this cool bit idea on their stand is called ‘forease’. personnel on the stand told us the business is because of stop production of interior combustion powered vehicles in the next few months as well as switch their focus completely to EVs.
Tata Altroz
This is a new one on me, the Altroz from India’s Tata Motors. bit similar to a Chevy Bolt, due in 2021.
The new Fiat Panda EV?
Another bit modern-retro metropolitanEV, this time around from Fiat. The idea is named Centoventi however it appears like this might be a great pointer towards the EV version of the Panda. It even had a bit furry toy panda sitting on the front seat, just to tease us.
EV Supercars & Hypercars
The world of supercars as well as hypercars is quickly moving to all Electric. So many exotic Italians have been embarrassed by Tesla’s huge old 4 seater household saloon that lastly the cent is dropping as to where the future lies. Here’s the Pininfarina Battista, the Rimac C_Two as well as a wild Giugiario designed concept, the GFG style Kangaroo…
Next Year?
Most of the appealing metal above all includes the caveat of ‘coming next year’. While it seems like it’s been that method for a while now with electric cars, it’s extremely remove that the mainstream EV transformation truly is almost upon us. 2020 is stacking as much as be a bit special if you’re in the market for a BEV. when we have that much much better choice available, ideally falling battery costs as well as much more competition will begin to make things more economical too.
And house Again
We had shown up at the very first hall soon after 9:30am regional time as well as we left at closing. even though we were there for over 9 hours there was so much to see that we might quickly have spent a second day.
But it was time to head house as well as easyJet had us back on the ground at Belfast worldwide flight terminal 15 minutes ahead of routine with a 1 hour 50 return flight time. I shown up back house before midnight, around 20 hours after we’d set off that morning as well as with 27% staying on the Leaf. thanks to Darren as well as Reinis for a great day as well as fantastic company. Our electric future truly is just around the corner.
Check out some more pictures from our trip in the gallery below
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